


Playing House

by QDS



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: 15 minute ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-24
Updated: 2010-01-24
Packaged: 2017-10-08 02:09:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QDS/pseuds/QDS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just why are they all on the Bebop, Jet wonders. Written for DW's <a href="http://15-minute-ficlets.dreamwidth.org/">15 minute ficlet</a> challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing House

It was yet another argument. Something small that had built up to a massive row (fuel? food? Jet couldn't quite remember now.) They were both at the end of their tether, when Spike finally said, "I don't have to be here, you know. You could kick me out and I could leave at anytime."

His tone had been calm, measured, even gentle, completely throwing Jet out of the argumentative mode. So Jet could only gasp.

It took him a long time before he finally said, "I know."

"Then why do you act like I owe you something?"

That was it, wasn't it? None of them really owed each other anything on this ship. Jet could argue that it was his ship, he'd invited them, but that was somehow missing the point.

Jet rubbed his hand over his forehead, and sank back onto the couch.

"Just...go away, Spike. Just for now ok."

He heard the door whir open and closed again behind Spike. Jet lay back on the couch, and was hit by an awkward realisation: that Jet wanted them all around.

Here, on the Bebop, in a strange way, he could play out his dreams of the house he and Alisa would share. Ed may have been slightly off-kilter, but she helped out with the washing, helped him buy groceries, hell, even helped him fix the computer systems from time to time. The bright and eager young child.

And there was Faye and Spike. The wayward teenagers; reckless, crashing their ships, making old Papa Jet spend more money than they actually had on repairs. Often drunk, and completely absorbed in their own angst that they failed to notice Jet tearing what was left of his hair out (or if they did, they didn't really care too much.)

But just because it was like that, didn't mean that was actually how it was.

Trying to hang on to Spike in particular was like trying to grasp water in your bare hands.

No. Spike (or Faye, or Ed, or even Ein for that matter) had no obligation to be here at all. For all Jet knew, tomorrow they could all up and leave.

But didn't this...~~family~~ ship count for something?

\--  
End

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge word: obligation


End file.
